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Bearberry

Sturdy, fast spreading, native evergreen groundcover for sunny locations. Grows well in poor soils and even pure sand, tolerant of salt spray and seaside/roadside conditions. Long, oval-shaped, glossy dark green foliage with pale undersides, turns reddish bronze in winter. Small clusters of white to pale pink nodding flowers in early summer. Small, rounded, bright scarlet-red berries in summer often last into late fall. Ideal for covering banks and sloped areas where soil fertility is low. A Cary Award winner in 1999. Starting in 1997 the Cary Award annually recognizes underutilized woody plants especially appropriate for New England that offer superior landscape appeal in two or more seasons, are winter hardy in zone 5 or colder, are pest resistant and are readily available in the market.